The Bible Series Amos
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Transcript
JUSTICE or JUST:
Divinely righteous action, whether taken by humanity or God…
Used in relation to uplifting the righteous and oppressed and debasing the unrighteous and oppressors.
The quality or principle of fairness, righteousness, and impartiality in dealing with individuals and society.
In the biblical context, justice is an essential attribute of God, and believers are called to pursue justice in their interactions and societal engagement.
It is correct, right, it is deserved…
Our news has had in the headlines the events in Israel this week… tragic atrocities, brutal attacks, and we see the depravity of mankind as events continue to unfold…
We see this unfold and we cry out for JUSTICE!
We see actions that are UNJUST… and our hearts break!
Israel still remains the apple of God’s eye and He is working regardless of how we see things unfolding. God continues to call a people BACK to Himself, and He is still preparing for the return of His Son… who will sit on David’s throne and RULE JUSTLY!
Israel has sparked the ATTENTION of the world unlike any other recent events
Christ declared in the end times there would be “wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew & Mark)
Pray for those who know the Lord as Savior
Pray for their boldness and ability to proclaim the Gospel of their Messiah to the people
Our cry for justice should resonant as we hear a word from the Lord to His people Israel through His prophet Amos…
Amos
Amos
Last week we looked at Joel, a prophet to JUDAH. This week we are looking at a man sent by God “ONE SENT” from Judah to the northern kingdom of Israel.
His name means “Burden Bearer”. We see through this short book that Amos is burdened with the message God has so much that he takes this message to Israel to deliver God’s Word! Look at how he begins his introduction to what will be shared from God… Amos 1:1-2
This message was given to Amos, a shepherd from the town of Tekoa in Judah. He received this message in visions two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam II, the son of Jehoash, was king of Israel. This is what he saw and heard: “The Lord’s voice will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem! The lush pastures of the shepherds will dry up; the grass on Mount Carmel will wither and die.”
I love that as we look at this man we do not see one trained in the ways of prophets, priest, or scholarship… we see a man, a farmer of figs we see later, and a shepherd.
He has a sensitive heart for the Lord
He hears and sees God’s message
He responds, he is compelled to share regardless of the cost or response.
Look at what is stated in Amos 7:10-16
Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam, king of Israel: “Amos is hatching a plot against you right here on your very doorstep! What he is saying is intolerable. He is saying, ‘Jeroboam will soon be killed, and the people of Israel will be sent away into exile.’ ” Then Amaziah sent orders to Amos: “Get out of here, you prophet! Go on back to the land of Judah, and earn your living by prophesying there! Don’t bother us with your prophecies here in Bethel. This is the king’s sanctuary and the national place of worship!” But Amos replied, “I’m not a professional prophet, and I was never trained to be one. I’m just a shepherd, and I take care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, ‘Go and prophesy to my people in Israel.’ Now then, listen to this message from the Lord: “You say, ‘Don’t prophesy against Israel. Stop preaching against my people.’
The king, the kings high priest and the people of Israel reject Amos’s message… they failed to see it as coming from the Lord!
Israel
Israel
Amos is coming to this proud kingdom nation in their hay day! Amos prophesies during a period of national optimism in Israel. Business is booming and boundaries are bulging. But below the surface, greed and injustice are festering. Hypocritical religious motions have replaced true worship, creating a false sense of security and a growing callousness to God’s disciplining hand. Famine, drought, plagues, death, destruction—nothing can force the people to their knees.
Wilkinson, B., & Boa, K. (1983). Talk thru the Bible (p. 245). T. Nelson.
They are politically powerful, making alliances with multiple pagan nations
They are relying on military might, alliances, and shrewdness over The Lord God for their protection
As one would look at Israel they would see a picture quite different than we see today...
Bursting forth with wealth and prosperity, they had farms, fruits, vineyards
Never had the people felt so at ease and in luxury
Their king pleased the people… (one of the most evil of Israel… Jeroboam II)
The boundaries seem to be expanding, wealth and power, and pride are theirs for the taking
Easy worship and religion, its fun, its feel good religion
Pleasures of the heart and desire of the body all fulfilled
God despises what he sees and sends Amos to deliver a message Amos 6:8
The Sovereign Lord has sworn by his own name, and this is what he, the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, says: “I despise the arrogance of Israel, and I hate their fortresses. I will give this city and everything in it to their enemies.”
Why listen to a messenger like Amos when life is good, things are going great, life is prosperous, there is no obstacles...
We must not conclude that material prosperity and political power are indications of God’s approval… Israel had fallen victim to this thinking and so can we!
A life of ease can often bring about apathy and idolatry in our lives and hearts. The nation of Israel, like a basket of rotting fruit, stood ripe for God’s judgment because of its hypocrisy and spiritual indifference. Wilkinson, B., & Boa, K. (1983). Talk thru the Bible (p. 245). T. Nelson. If this was true of in Israel then… it can be just as real of a threat to us today!
Amos Overview
Amos Overview
Amos lays out his message from God in powerful written form… We see BOTH Forth Telling and Foretelling in his writings. He uses a vigorous Hebrew Poetry to convey God’s message of His Justice being dealt towards mankind’s sinful and despicable lifestyles… as “The Lord Roars from Zion and Thunders from Jerusalem”
In eight pronouncements of judgment, Amos spirals around the surrounding countries before landing on Israel.
Each prophetic message beginning with “Thus says the Lord”
God has a heavy message for Israel and Amos is burdened to deliver it with clarity and power
He then delivers three sermons to list the sins of the house of Israel and call for repentance.
Multiple times we see God declare of Israel “you have not returned to Me”
Despite God striving to call them back to Himself
He declares the state of their hearts...
Hating justice, integrity, & compassion
Therefore they will not repent so JUDGMENT is coming… JUSTICE is coming… Amos 5:20-24
Yes, the day of the Lord will be dark and hopeless, without a ray of joy or hope. “I hate all your show and pretense— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.
Their state is so similar to our own nation… oh how we need to repent and turn to the LORD!!!
The people reject Amos’ warnings and their coming judgment is portrayed in a series of five visions.
Amos pleads and intercedes on Israel’s behalf on the first two (Locust & Fire)
We see Amos’s heart break over what is to come
The plumbline (found failing)
Rotten Fruit (worthless thrown out)
Unavoidable judgement… God has spoken
But Amos closes his book with a brief word of future hope… Amos 9:8-15
“I, the Sovereign Lord, am watching this sinful nation of Israel. I will destroy it from the face of the earth. But I will never completely destroy the family of Israel,” says the Lord. “For I will give the command and will shake Israel along with the other nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, yet not one true kernel will be lost. But all the sinners will die by the sword— all those who say, ‘Nothing bad will happen to us.’ “In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory. And Israel will possess what is left of Edom and all the nations I have called to be mine.” The Lord has spoken, and he will do these things. “The time will come,” says the Lord, “when the grain and grapes will grow faster than they can be harvested. Then the terraced vineyards on the hills of Israel will drip with sweet wine! I will bring my exiled people of Israel back from distant lands, and they will rebuild their ruined cities and live in them again. They will plant vineyards and gardens; they will eat their crops and drink their wine. I will firmly plant them there in their own land. They will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.
GOD...
GOD...
A simple shepherd… delivers such a clear forceful message of God’s Justice… YET, WHAT MERCY!!!
Not receiving what is owed, what is fair, what is right…
God extends His MERCY
Yes God is JUST… He is Holy and Right…
This powerful fact makes the message of Amos even more wonderful and amazing!
What an amazing God!
What character., passion, & GRACE…
That you and I can come to the scriptures and see God deal out Justice and see that very same God extend His righteous Mercy to the very same people… We are so blessed to KNOW HIM and call Him FATHER!
May we pray that those who do not know Him this way come to a saving knowledge of HIM!